Farrell, May star as England snap losing streak

BRILLIANT goal-kicking by Owen Farrell and a superbly created Jonny May try gave England a 25-10 dead-rubber Test win over South Africa yesterday that snapped a sixmatch losing run.

Having led 6-3 at halftime, England fell a point behind in the second half before captain and centre Farrell and winger May took the game away from 2-1 series winners South Africa.

The longer this arm-wrestle match progressed the more likely England looked like winning and they sealed success with a great try eight minutes from time at Newlands stadium in Cape Town.

Recalled fly-half Danny Cipriani sent a perfectlyweighted cross-field kick into the far corner and official manof-the-match May darted behind the defence to score.

Farrell (pix) converted and added a penalty for a 20-point tally as England returned to winning ways after defeats by Scotland, France, Ireland, the Barbarians and South Africa (twice).

England avoided a series whitewash having lost in dry Johannesburg and Bloemfontein conditions by adapting better after pre-match rain, and wind.

Farrell said: "We have spoken all three weeks about just sticking together and there has been a lot of stuff going on outside.

"But I am proud of the way the boys stuck at it and now it is up to us to make sure we have come out the other side of these losses. We have got to stick at getting better now."

South Africa skipper and flanker Siya Kolisi said: "It was really tough. I think we dropped our intensity and the discipline was not good."

If ever a first half went according to script this was it with the conditions dictating a tactical kicking duel in search of territorial supremacy.

Farrell succeeded with his two penalty kicks and South Africa fly-half Elton Jantjies with one from two to leave the tourists three points ahead at halftime. – AFP